AIAA Space Tethers Technical Committee

1
AIAA Space Tethers Technical Committee

• An Overview
• Sven G. Bilén
• 3rd Annual Intl Space Elevator Conference

2
Committee Goals and Interests

• To promote productive development of space-tether
  systems and their associated concepts, missions,
  technologies, and infrastructure
• Systems include (but not limited to)
• Electrodynamic propulsion
• Momentum-exchange propulsion
• Formation flying
• Space elevators
• Scientific missions

3
Topics of Interest

• Tether system design
• Observation, modeling, and control of tether
  dynamics
• Safe operation of tether systems
• Methods for tether deployment and retrieval
• Methods for tetherpayload rendezvous
• Ground-based experimental demonstrations and
  investigations
• Interactions between tethers and other space
  objects
• Characterization of mechanical characteristics of
  new tether materials or structures
• Effects of space environment on tether materials
• Methods for improving capabilities for tracking
  and propagating tethered systems
• Tether designs for survivability
• Operational controllability of tether systems for
  maximum performance
• Efficient charge collection/emission physics for
  electrodynamic systems
• Identification and assessment of lessons-learned
  from past space tether missions

4
Space Tether Missions that Have Flown
5
A Brief History of Tethers
MSFC
6
TC Formation

• TC was needed as an advocate for space tethers
• AIAA is appropriate forum because of successful
  TC framework
• TC established in 2002

7
Committee Activities

• Promote technical interchange with other AIAA
  TCs, AIAA members, and engineering/scientific
  community
• Advance understanding of space tethers within the
  technical community
• Sponsor conferences and sessions
• Sponsor Professional Development Courses
• Publish handbooks, papers, and articles
• Contribute to university and pre-college
  activities

8
Membership

• Members are expected to
• Have an active professional interest in
  development of space tethers
• Contribute through technical committee towards
  this goal
• Members come from the ranks of
• Industry
• Academia
• Research labs
• Public sector

9
Nomination Requirements

• Nomination period for AIAA TCs
• Open 1 August each year for terms starting in May
  2004
• Nominations may be submitted at any time and will
  be held until August 1
• TCs have up to 30 and 35 members each
• Nearly one-third of members rotate off TC each
  year, leaving 610 openings per TC
• TC associate member category are for young
  professionals less than 35 years of age
• Nominees should be individual AIAA members, or be
  ready to join if appointed
• Contact Sven Bilén (TC membership chair) if
  interested (sbilen_at_psu.edu)

10
Member Duties

• Attend TC meetings in person or via telecon
• Volunteer for subcommittee and/or office
• Conferences Brian Gilchrist (TC Chair)
• Technical Affairs Rob Hoyt
• Education Enrico Lorenzini (TC Vice Chair)
• Membership Sven Bilén
• Communications Lee Marshall
• Two official meetings per year
• Subcommittee meetings more often as needed

11
Help the Space Tethers Technical Committee
advocate for the broader use of space tethers!